“Hobgoblin is a powerful full-bodied copper red, well-balanced brew. Strong in roasted malt with a moderate hoppy bitterness and slight fruity character that lasts through to the end.”
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Glassware: English pint.
Appearance: Pours like a proper English Ale – light mahogany with notable ruby highlights. It forms a thick and creamy two finger head which holds its shape well. Tonnes of thick sudsy lace decorates the glass as it ebbs.
Aroma: Overflowing with candied toffee/toffee apple, sweet dark fruits like juicy raisin, dates/prunes and glazed cherries. The more subtle chocolate notes emerge as it starts to warm…although it’s not straight chocolate, it comes across as fruit & nut and carob. It has a certain Barleywine and or Quad-like character with its ultra sweet residual sugars but it’s nicely balanced by a dose of earthy and spicy English hops.
Flavour: Super rich and complex for a mere 4.5% ABV beer. Again, those Quad-like flavours present with rich toffee, raisin and dark fruits. The subtle chocolate and carob only emphasize this further. What it does really well is it incorporates a distinct bitterness which goes a long way in offsetting the rich sweetness. Nicely balanced yet complex finish which holds on nicely.
Mouthfeel: Slick, gelatinous, chewy. Medium-full body. It drinks a whole lot bigger than the ABV (4.5%) entails.
Overall: Impressive how deep and complex it is but it’s just a tad too sweet and artificially tasting for us. Maybe it needs that extra 6% ABV on top to make it a Barleywine?! It’s certainly worthy but it’s not a return beer.